The Retro 51 “refill”.

My journey into buying stationary online, started with the Retro 51. What makes it an amazing pen is trifold: quality, variety and the refill.

It is one of the most amazing things I have seen in terms of build quality. It feels good to hold it, and you just want to sit there and twist it back and forth. And you can find a Retro 51 model to match almost any style or design you are looking for.

But the thing that takes the Retro 51 from impressive to amazing is the schmith refill. It is the perfect for everything that want something good, but don’t care about the details. It is also everything I want from a pen, a thick black line without a lot of pressure or hassle.

It is still my goto pen when I want something I can write with for very long periods. Because I don’t have to put any pressure on the page; the weight of the pen is sufficient.

The refill isn’t for everyone. Either because you want different ink, or a thinner line. But there are plenty of compatible refills.

What I think proves my point about it being one of the best “general” refills available is that almost all rollerball pens use it. Everything from the Lamy 2000 Rollerball to the new Baron Fig pen. When I see a new rollerball pen, I see the refill more often than not.

The thing I love about is that, if you like a pen that uses it but hates the refill, or if you hate the pen but love the refill, you have plenty of options in either direction to find your perfect fit.